Feeding device and method for feeding spherical objects in a tobacco industry machine

ABSTRACT

A feeding device for feeding spherical objects (3) for tobacco industry applications, comprising: a mass chamber (2, 2′) for storing a plurality of the spherical objects (3); at least one single layer chamber (10, 10′) located below the mass chamber (2, 2′) and connected with the mass chamber (2, 2′) such that the spherical objects (3) may flow from the mass chamber (2, 2′) to the single layer chamber (10, 10′), wherein the single layer chamber (10, 10′) comprises an outlet (15) having multiple outlet ducts (16) for outputting the spherical objects (3) to a receiving device; at least one roller (17, 18) located next to the outlet duct (16), wherein a circumferential surface (17A, 18A) of the roller (17, 18) constitutes a wall of the outlet duct (16). The feeding device further comprises a cylindrical rotary element (9, 9′) located below the mass chamber (2, 2′) in an area of connection of the mass chamber (2, 2′) and the single layer chamber (10, 10′), wherein a side surface (9A) of the cylindrical rotary element (9, 9′) constitutes a wall for guiding the flow of the spherical objects (3) from the mass chamber (2, 2′) to the single layer chamber (10, 10′).

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a feeding device for feeding spherical objects, applicable for tobacco industry, and to a method for feeding spherical objects in a tobacco industry machine.

BACKGROUND

Tobacco industry products may comprise capsules with scent substances. For example, the capsules can be placed in cigarette filters, and the smokers, before or during smoking, can squeeze the capsule with their fingers to release the scent. The capsules may be placed in a filtering material. There are known cigarettes with two capsules placed in a mouthpiece in the filtering material, wherein the two capsules may be squeezed separately or both at the same time. There are known mouthpieces for cigarettes, which are made of two or more different filtering segments, where the capsules may be placed in a space between the segments.

The capsules are delivered to a feeding machine, for feeding the capsules in the filtering material, usually in a mass flow, i.e. are poured into a mass container. The capsules are transferred from the mass container to the device, which places them one by one into the filtering material. The capsules received from the mass container have to be transferred to the device which handles single capsules or a stream of single capsules.

A US patent application US2007068540A1 discloses a device, in which capsules are received from a mass chamber and are transferred to a single layer chamber. From the single layer of capsules, the capsules are received by means of sockets of a feeding wheel and as a result the stream of single capsules moving on a circular path, is formed. From the feeding wheel the capsules are transferred to the filtering material band.

A PCT patent application WO2005032286A2 discloses a device in which capsules are received from a rotary container by means of negative pressure and are transferred to sockets of a feeding wheel.

A PCT patent application WO2011083405A1 discloses a device in which separate streams are formed of capsules from a rotary mass chamber, wherein the streams move in horizontal ducts, wherein the ducts rotate together with the mass chamber.

A U.S. Pat. No. 7,757,835B2 discloses a device wherein streams of capsules move at a certain angle.

There is therefore a need to provide a device that would allow effective transformation of a mass of capsules into a single stream or a plurality of separate streams of capsules. In particular, there is a need to provide such a device which could be utilized for feeding the device such as presented in the US patent application US2013181003B2.

In the present disclosure, the capsules are also referred to as spherical objects.

SUMMARY

There is disclosed a feeding device for feeding spherical objects for tobacco industry applications, comprising: a mass chamber for storing a plurality of the spherical objects; at least one single layer chamber located below the mass chamber and connected with the mass chamber such that the spherical objects may flow from the mass chamber to the single layer chamber, wherein the single layer chamber comprises an outlet having multiple outlet ducts for outputting the spherical objects to a receiving device; at least one roller located next to the outlet duct, wherein a circumferential surface of the roller constitutes a wall of the outlet duct. The feeding device further comprises a cylindrical rotary element located below the mass chamber in an area of connection of the mass chamber and the single layer chamber, wherein a side surface of the cylindrical rotary element constitutes a wall for guiding the flow of the spherical objects from the mass chamber to the single layer chamber.

The cylindrical rotary element may be located tangentially to a wall of a bottom of the mass chamber.

The cylindrical rotary element may be located tangentially to the single layer chamber.

The single layer chamber may be arranged vertically.

Two rollers may be located at the outlet duct, wherein circumferential surfaces of the rollers may be configured to rotate in opposite directions during operation of the device.

The circumferential surface of one roller may constitute a side wall of two neighboring outlet ducts.

During operation of the device, the cylindrical rotary element may be configured to rotate in a direction in which its surface of contact with the spherical objects moves in an opposite direction to the direction of flow of the spherical objects from the mass chamber to the single layer chamber.

During operation of the device, the cylindrical rotary element may be configured to rotate in a direction in which its surface of contact with the spherical objects moves in the same direction as the direction of flow of the spherical objects from the mass chamber to the single layer chamber.

There is also disclosed a method of feeding spherical objects in a tobacco industry machine, from a mass chamber to outlet ducts through a single layer chamber located below the mass chamber. The method comprises inducing the spherical objects fed from the mass chamber to the single layer chamber to rotate by means of a cylindrical rotary element located in the region of connection of the mass chamber and the single layer chamber.

The method may comprise rotating the cylindrical rotary element in a direction in which its surface of contact with the spherical objects moves in an opposite direction to the direction of flow of the spherical objects from the mass chamber to the single layer chamber.

The method may comprise rotating the cylindrical rotary element in a direction in which its surface of contact with the spherical objects moves in the same direction as the direction of flow of the spherical objects from the mass chamber to the single layer chamber.

The method may comprise inducing the spherical objects fed from the single layer chamber to the outlet ducts to rotate by means of the rollers located at the inlet of the outlet ducts, wherein the circumferential surfaces of the rollers move in opposite directions.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

The object of the present disclosure is presented by means of example embodiments in a drawing, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a feeding device for feeding spherical objects;

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the device of FIG. 1 without a sidewall;

FIGS. 3 and 4 show an outlet of the feeding device of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 shows a feeding device with two single layer chambers.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

A mass chamber 2 for capsules 3, in a feeding device 1 presented in FIG. 1, has a form of a container that is open at the top and at the bottom and comprises sidewalls 4, 5, a front wall 6 and an inclined bottom 7. The front wall 6 and the bottom 7 are convergent, forming an outlet 8 in a lower part 2A of the mass chamber 2. In other embodiments, the mass chamber 2 may have other shapes as well.

The capsules 3 may be delivered to the mass chamber 2 manually, by means of a container or by means of a typical feeding unit, for example a pneumatic feeding unit or a mechanical feeding unit with a transporter for capsules 3, wherein the feeding unit is not shown in the drawing.

A cylindrical rotary element 9 is located under the bottom 7 along a bottom edge 7A of the bottom 7, wherein a driving unit for rotating this element is not shown for clarity. In a preferable embodiment, the cylindrical rotary element rotates in a direction depicted by an arrow 9R, it means that it rotates such that its surface of contact with the capsules 3, moves in an opposite direction to the direction of flow of the capsules from the mass chamber 2 to a single layer chamber 10. The device may also operate when the cylindrical rotary element 9 rotates in an opposite direction, i.e. when it rotates such that its surface of contact with the capsules 3 moves in the same direction as the direction of flow of the capsules from the mass chamber 2 to the single layer chamber 10. The capsules 3 rotate due to the action of the force of friction between a surface of the capsules 3 and a rotating side surface 9A. The rotation of the capsules 3 facilitates their downward movement, because it reduces at least partially situations wherein non-rotating capsules could be blocked between the outlet 8 of the mass chamber and a front wall 11 of the single layer chamber 10. An axis of rotation X of the cylindrical rotary element 9 is substantially in parallel to the bottom edge 7A. Between the bottom edge 7A and the side surface 9A of the cylindrical rotary element 9 there is a gap, which has a width smaller than a diameter of the capsule 3. The cylindrical rotary element 9 may be located such that its side surface 9A is tangential to an inner surface 7B of the bottom 7 and it constitutes an extension of the bottom 7. The length of the cylindrical rotary element 9 is at least equal to the length of the edge 7A of the bottom 7. The length of the cylindrical rotary element 9 is substantially equal to a length of the outlet 8.

The single layer chamber 10 is attached to the mass chamber 2. The front wall 11 of the single layer chamber 10 forms an extension of the front wall 6 of the mass chamber 2, wherein the length of the single layer chamber 10 is equal to the length of the outlet 8 of the mass chamber 2. Another wall 12 of the single layer chamber 10 is spaced apart from its front wall 11 by a distance slightly greater than the diameter of the capsule 3, such as to enable the capsules 3 to fall under the force of gravity in the single layer chamber 10. In an upper part 10A of the single layer chamber 10 an inner surface 12A of the wall 12 is preferably located tangentially to the side surface 9A of the cylindrical rotary element 9. Preferably, the single layer chamber 10 is located vertically, but it may also be inclined in order to slow down sliding of the capsules and to increase the smoothness of the flow of the capsules. Side walls 13 and 14 of the single layer chamber 10 are arranged substantially in parallel to each other, and they may be also arranged convergently or divergently in a downward direction.

In a lower part 10B of the single layer chamber 10 there is an outlet 15 having a form of multiple outlet ducts 16. At an inlet 16E of the outlet duct 16 there are two rollers 17, 18, wherein their circumferential surfaces 17A, 18A constitute walls of the outlet duct 16. The inlet 16E of the outlet duct 16 is formed by the surfaces 17A, 18A and the surfaces 11A and 12A of the walls 11 and 12 (FIG. 2). The rollers 17, 18 are mounted pivotally, wherein for clarity of the drawing, a driving unit of the rollers is not shown. As presented in FIG. 1 and FIG. 3, the rollers 17, 18 rotate in the same directions 17R and 18R, so their circumferential surfaces 17A, 18A move in opposite directions with respect to the inlet 16E of the outlet duct 16. Therefore, when the capsules 3 are above the rollers 17, 18, some of them will be displaced or will be pushed by one of the rollers (the circumferential surface of which moves in a direction towards the inlet of the outlet duct) towards the inlet, and the rest of the capsules will be displaced or pushed by the second roller (the circumferential surface of which moves in a direction opposite to the inlet of the outlet duct) in the direction opposite to the outlet—it allows to prevent blocking of the capsules 3 and provides good flow conditions of the capsules 3 from the single layer chamber 10 to the outlet ducts 16. The rollers of the consecutive pairs of rollers 18 and 17′, 17′ and 18′, 18′ and 17″, 17″ and 18″ rotate in a similar manner. The ducts and rollers are arranged such that one roller 18, 17′, 18′, 17″ cooperates with two outlet ducts 16, i.e. the circumferential surface of one roller constitutes the wall of one duct and of the neighboring duct. Between the rollers of the neighboring outlet ducts there may be located distributors 19 (shown in FIG. 4) for directing the capsules 3 to particular outlet ducts 16.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of a feeding device 1′—having a doubled efficiency with respect to the feeding device 1 shown in FIG. 1. The feeding device 1′ has a mass chamber 2′ having side walls 4, 5, a front wall 6 and a back wall 6′ and a bottom 7′, which comprises two surfaces 7B and 7B′. The mass chamber 2′ is connected with two single layer chambers 10 and 10′. A first cylindrical rotary element 9 is located in the region of the connection of the mass chamber 2′ with the single layer chamber 10, and a second cylindrical rotary element 9′ is located in the region of the connection of the mass chamber 2′ with the single layer chamber 10′. The feeding device 1′, in a top view, occupies a similar area as the feeding device 1 of FIG. 1, but it allows to deliver twice as much of the capsules.

In yet another embodiment, it is possible to use one cylindrical rotary element 9, which is located in the region of connection of the mass chamber 2′ with the single layer chamber 10, tangentially to the surface 7B and in the region of the connection of the mass chamber 2′ with the single layer chamber 10′, tangentially to the surface 7B′.

The capsules 3, after being poured into the mass chamber 2, 2′, fill the chamber, but displace only to a small extent to the single layer chamber 10, 10′, because a high coefficient of friction between the capsules prevents their free flow to the single layer chamber, causing the capsules to stay above the inlet to the single layer chamber in the form of little bridges. Initializing the rotation of the cylindrical rotary element 9, 9′, wherein its side surface 9A constitutes a fragment of the bottom of the mass chamber, causes the capsules to begin to rotate with respect to the cylindrical rotary element 9, 9′ and with respect to other capsules 3. Such location of the cylindrical rotary element is preferable, because the capsules do not have a possibility to block each other at the inlet to the single layer chamber 10, 10′ during the operation of the device.

The device as presented herein may be further extended to achieve a desired amount of outlet ducts, depending on the efficiency of the receiving device. For example, one mass chamber may be connected with several single layer chambers. Moreover, the single layer chamber together with the duct (or ducts) and the rotary element (or rotary elements) may form a module which may be connected to improve a previously constructed device. Moreover, when the single layer chamber has multiple outlets, some of the outlets may be blocked, so as to adapt the efficiency of the feeding device to the receiving efficiency of cooperating devices. 

1-12. (canceled)
 13. A machine for producing multi-segment rods for use in tobacco industry, the machine comprising: a mass chamber for storing a plurality of the spherical objects and having a bottom; at least one single layer chamber located below the mass chamber and operationally connected thereto, comprising an outlet having multiple outlet ducts for outputting the spherical objects to a receiving device; at least one roller located next to the outlet duct and having a circumferential surface constituting a wall of the outlet duct; and a cylindrical rotary element located between the mass chamber bottom and the single layer chamber and having a side surface constituting a wall for guiding the flow of the spherical objects from the mass chamber to the single layer chamber.
 14. The device of claim 13, wherein the cylindrical rotary element is located tangentially to a wall of the mass chamber bottom.
 15. The device of claim 13, wherein the cylindrical rotary element is located tangentially to the single layer chamber.
 16. The device of claim 13, wherein the single layer chamber is arranged vertically.
 17. The device of claim 14, wherein the cylindrical rotary element is located tangentially to the single layer chamber.
 18. The device of claim 14, wherein the single layer chamber is arranged vertically.
 19. The device of claim 17, wherein the single layer chamber is arranged vertically.
 20. The device of claim 13, wherein the at least one roller comprises at least two adjacent rollers with circumferential surfaces configured to rotate in an opposite direction from one another during operation of the device.
 21. The device of claim 13, wherein the at least one roller comprises at least two adjacent rollers with circumferential surfaces configured to rotate in a same direction as the another during operation of the device.
 22. The device of claim 14, wherein the at least one roller comprises at least two adjacent rollers with circumferential surfaces configured to rotate in an opposite direction from one another during operation of the device.
 23. The device of claim 14, wherein the at least one roller comprises at least two adjacent rollers with circumferential surfaces configured to rotate in a same direction as the another during operation of the device.
 24. The device of claim 19, wherein the circumferential surface of at least one of the at least one rollers constitutes a side wall of two neighboring outlet ducts.
 25. The device of claim 13, wherein the cylindrical rotary element comprises a contact surface configured to rotate in a direction opposite to the direction of flow of the spherical objects from the mass chamber to the single layer chamber during operation.
 26. The device of claim 1, wherein the cylindrical rotary element comprises a contact surface configured to rotate in a direction same as the direction of flow of the spherical objects from the mass chamber to the single layer chamber during operation.
 27. A method of feeding spherical objects in a tobacco industry machine, comprising: feeding a plurality of spherical objects from the mass storage chamber to a single layer chamber located below the mass chamber and operationally connected thereto and comprising multiple outlet ducts; rotating a cylindrical rotary element having a contact surface and located between the mass chamber bottom and the single layer chamber; rotatably outputting the plurality of spherical objects from the multiple outlet ducts of the single layer chamber to a receiving device.
 28. The method of claim 27, further comprising rotating the cylindrical rotary element contact surface in a direction opposite to the direction of flow of the spherical objects from the mass chamber to the single layer chamber.
 29. The method of claim 27, further comprising rotating the cylindrical rotary element contact surface in a direction same as the direction of flow of the spherical objects from the mass chamber to the single layer chamber.
 30. The method of claim 27, wherein the rotatably outputting the plurality of spherical objects from the multiple outlet ducts of the single layer chamber to a receiving device step comprises rotating at least two rollers located at an inlet to the multiple outlet ducts, each roller having a circumferential surface rotating in opposite direction of the circumferential surface of the other roller.
 31. The method of claim 28, wherein the rotatably outputting the plurality of spherical objects from the multiple outlet ducts of the single layer chamber to a receiving device step comprises rotating at least two rollers located at an inlet to the multiple outlet ducts, each roller having a circumferential surface rotating in opposite direction of the circumferential surface of the other roller.
 32. The method of claim 29, wherein the rotatably outputting the plurality of spherical objects from the multiple outlet ducts of the single layer chamber to a receiving device step comprises rotating at least two rollers located at an inlet to the multiple outlet ducts, each roller having a circumferential surface rotating in opposite direction of the circumferential surface of the other roller. 